Skate



- Oct. 9, 1934.' v R. B. sPEcHT SKATE Filed Sept. 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l gva/vanto@- euez/ 550w/zi @man ` Oct. 9, 1934. R, B SPECHT 1,975,905

SKATE Filed Sept. 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 Patented Oct. 9, 14934 UNiTgEo s'rA'lEs PATENT-f OFFICE SKATE Reuel BQ Specht, Akron, Ohio Application september@ 1931, serial No. 561,230 9 Clarins. (o1. 20s-17s) .My invention relates to new and `useful improvements in skates and moreA particularly to a roller skate in which there are three-rollers arranged longitudinally of the skate,'in align l ment or tandem fashion, the principal objectv 4of the invention residing in the provision of a skate of the character `described whic l1.issaf e ,v

maximum amount of speed and provided withA braking means to retard or stop the movement of the wheels. A further object consists in forming the skate 'so that it may be adjusted todiierent sizes and mounting the wheels in such a manner that they may absorb shock and allow movement of certain Vof the wheels into engagement Awith the braking means or surfaces, the wheels being normally held in their lowermost positions but adapted to yield upwardly.

A still further object resides in the provision of novel means for mounting the Wheels, the front pair of wheels being connected by side plates or vmembers which permits the wheels to have a vertical movement or a rocking movement one relative to the other.

As another object'oi the invention I provide novel means for adjusting the tension of those wheels which are adapted to beA engaged with the lbraking mechanism, said adjustment adapting the skate for use by persons of vdifferent weights.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel details of construction and arrangement of parts, described in the following specication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, as they nowY appear to me, it will be understood that such changes may be 4g made as will fall within the scope of the ap- 7 'pended claims.

In Vthe drawingsz- Fig. l is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan. y Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1v looking in the direction of the Fig. V5 is a fragmental longitudinal section on theline 5--5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the tension springs acting as a braking surface.

'-.In the drawings 1 indicates the toe plate and 2 the heel plate having the upwardly directed ange 3 at the rearl end as is usual. At 4 and 5 I have illustrated the usual form of clamps ,adapted to be engaged with the sole of the skaters shoes in the usual manner for securing the skate in position, lThe toe plate is provided. adjacent each longitudinal edge, with the longitudinally spaced elongated openings 6 adapted to receive the hooked end portions 7 formed on the forward end of the toe plate 2, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. It will be understoodv that these hooked projections may be engaged in any pair of the openings` 6 so as to adjust the skate to different lengths and for securing the plates together in their adjusted positions I provide the screw 8 and nut 9, the screw passing through an opening formed adjacent the inner end of the toe plate and through one of the longitudinally spaced openings 10 formed in the heel plate.

Mountings for the wheels 11, 12 and 13 are shown at 14, 15 and 16 and as these mountings are each of the same construction such as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings, a detailed description of one will suffice for all. Each of the mountings consists of the horizontal top portion or plate 17 the depending side portions 18,` and upwardly directed outwardly inclined arms 19 having at their upperends the reduced extensions 20. The horizontal top portion 17 is provided, adjacent each end, with a pair of openings 21 and a central threaded opening 22 for a purpose to be later described. Each of the side portions 18 is provided, adjacent its top, with an elongated horizontally extending opening 23 and adjacent its lower end with a vertically extending elongated opening 24. Each of the upwardly directed outwardly inclined arms 19 is provided with a vertically extending elongated opening 25 in substantial alignment with the opening 24 formed `in the side portions 18. These mountings are secured to the toe and heel plates 1 and 2 by passing the reduced extensions 20 through openings formed in said' plates, adja-v cent the longitudinal edges thereof, and bending. the extensions over against the upper faces of the plates, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Rivets 26 extend through the plates and through the openings 21 formed in the horizontal portion 17 of they mounts. It will thusbe seen that l have provided a novel form of mounting for the wheels and the wheels are rotatably mounted on transversely extending shafts 27 which pass through the openings 24 iand 25 formed in the side portions 18 and upwardly directed arms 19 of the mountings, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the shafts being held against longitudinal movement by means ofthe Cotter pins 28. The inner'edges of the openings 24 and 25 oi the mountings for the pair of front wheels are outwardly inclined from the bottom towards the top, as shown, to permit rocking movement oi one of the front wheels relative to the other, such inclining of the edges i by means ori the plates 35 which are carried by' the shafts upon which these particular wheels arev mounted. These plates 35 are arranged on opposite sides of the wheels as shown more partioularly in Fig. 2 of the drawings and are received between the sides oi the wheels and the inner faces of the depending side portions i8 of the mountings. The plates are provided in their upper edges, intermediate the ends thereof, with the longitudinally spaced notches 36 and at 37 I have shown a casting or bracket having the depending projection 3S adapted to be engaged in one of the notches 35 and the upwardly extendying lug or projection 39 around which the lower end of a coiled spring is positioned. The upper end of the coiled spring surrounds the pin or projection 4l, carried by the toe plate 1 and riveted Ithereto as shown at 42. The coiled spring 40 normally tends to torce the plates 35 downward and position the ends of the shafts 27 of the wheels 1l and l2 in the lower ends of the openings 24 and 25 in their respective mountings.- The tension of the coiled spring 40 may be adjusted by engaging the projection 38 of the bracket or casting 37 in different longitudinally spaced notches 36. The coiled spring allows the plates 35 and wheels connected thereto to raise vertically or allow the wheels to rock one with respect to the other.

Connected to the shafts 27, which carry the rear wheel 13 and intermediate wheel 12 are the spring arms 43 of the construction shown more particularly in Fig. 6 of the drawings. These arms are provided, adjacent their lower end, with an opening 44 through which the end of the shaft 27 extends and at their upper ends are curved as shown at 45 to provide the horizontal eX- tension 45 having the reduced portion 47. There is a pair of these spring arms used in connection with each of the wheels referredv to and they will be positioned as shown more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings with the reduced extensions 47 passing through the elongated openings 23 formed in the side portions 13 of the mountings, the reduced extensions overlapping, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3 and'adapted to be engaged by the end of anadjusting screw 48 Yoperable in the threaded opening22 of the horizontal portion 17 of the mounting. These spring arms normally tend to hold the shafts' in the lower ends of the openings 24 and 25 of the mountings and when the wheels are raised vertically due to pressure the tread portions 31 will engage the innermost overlapped extension 47 which forms a braking surface at 49. For a light skater the screw 48 will be screwed down and the pressure on the overlapped extensions 47 causes the lower ends of the spring arms to be raised thus drawing the shaft 27 upwardly to position the tread portion 3l 'closed to the braking surface. There will be a leverage at the point where the extensions 47 pass through the V'elongated openings 23.

From the above detailed description it isV thought that the construction and operation will be understood'. It will be understood that all three wheels ride on the floor or other surface andA under pressure the front wheel ll will raise to allow for increase in speed. There will be the most possible traction at the three points of theiwheels as the skater leans to make a Vti'irn and each of the wheelsv may raise in its` mount-i ing to take up shock. Thewheels 11 and 12, as previously stated, may be raised inunison or they may be rocked oneV relative tothe other and the' wheels 12and 13 engaging the braking surfaces act to retardl or stop movement. I wish to layparticular stress on the fact that the braking means is adjustable to accommodate thev skate to` different weight skaters and when pressure 105 is applied the wheels will be raised to engage the wheels with the braking surfaces 49. l

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenti'sr-V L 1`.`YAv skate'inclu'ding a-'p'air of front wheels arranged in tandem, mountings for the wheels, said mountings vbeing formed to permit vertical movement of the wheelsQplates connecting the wheelstov allow vertical movement in unison or rocking movement of one wheel relative to the other, and means engageable with the plates Yfor normally urging thewheels towards their lowermost' position.

2. A' skate including a pair of front'v wheels arranged in tandem', mountings for the wheels, said mountings being formed to permit vertical movement of the wheels, plates connecting the wheels to allow vertical movement inA unison or rocking movement of one wheel relative to the other, and adjustable means engageable 4with the plates for' normally urging the wheels towards their' lowermost position.

3. A skate including a pair of front'wheels arrangedrin tandem, mountings for the wheels, said mountings being formed to -permit vertical movement of 'the' wheels, plates connectingthe wheels to allowI vertical movement in unison or rocking movement of one wheel relative to the other, and a springengageable with the plates for normally urging the wheels towards ktheir lowerinost position.

A4. A skate including a pair of front wheels arranged in tandem, mountings for the wheels, said mountings being formed to permit vertical 140 movement of the wheels, plates connecting the wheels to allow Vertical movement in unison or rocking movement of one wheel relativeto` Vthe other, and a spring engageable with the plates for' normallyurging the wheels towards their 145 lov'i/"ermost` position, the' endI of the spring being' adjustably connected to the plates.

5'. A skateincluding wheel mountingswheels carried by the mountings for vertical movement, and spring arms having portions to be engaged 150 by one of said Wheels for retarding the movement thereof.

6. A skate including wheel mountings, Wheels carried by the mountings for vertical movement, spring arms having portions to be engaged by one of said Wheels for retarding the movement thereof, and means for adjusting the leverage of said springarms.

7. A skate including a foot support, a mounting secured to the support, a Wheel carried by the mounting for vertical movement, said mounting having depending side Walls between which the Wheel is positioned, and spring arms connected to the Wheel and having portions extending through the side Walls, said portions extending through the side WalIs adapted to be engaged by the Wheel for retarding the movement thereof.

8. A skate including a foot support, a mounting secured to the support, a wheel carried by the mounting for vertical movement, said mounting having depending side Walls between which the Wheel is positioned, spring arms connected to the Wheel and having portions extending through the side Walls, said portions extending through the side Walls adapted to be engaged by the Wheel for retarding the movement thereof, and adjusting means engageable with the portions extending through the side Walls.

9. A skate including a foot support, a mounting secured to the support, a shaft adjustably carried in the mounting, a wheel carried by the shaft, said mounting having depending side Walls between which the wheel is positioned, spring arms connected to the shaft and having horizontal portions extending through the side Walls, said horizontal portions extending through the side Walls being positioned to be engaged by the Wheel for retarding the movement thereof, and an adjusting screw engageable With the horizontal portions of the spring arms for adjusting the wheel to the Weight of the skater.

REUEL B. SPECHT. 

